


Earth 616

by Contre_courant



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Author's first work, Bad sciencing, Dimension Travel, Multiverse, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Out of Character, POV First Person, POV Peter Parker, Time Travel, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-01 02:45:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18791404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Contre_courant/pseuds/Contre_courant
Summary: Peter B. Parker, alias Spider-Man, for all his brain, can be pretty stupid sometimes... Like trying out a spatiotemporal machine on himself and his colleague... And still manages to be surprised when it doesn't work like it was planned.*Peter's from an alternate dimension, through miscalculation, lands on Earth 616, where he meets the Avengers, and this universe's own Spider-Man. All the while strange creatures with the ability to jump through space appear to attack Earth (more particularly New-York, like it always is...).





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I have not ever read the Spider-Man comics, nor any of the Marvel ones. I didn't watch the animated series. The source of my inspiration comes from the MCU movies, the animated Spider-Man movie (Into the multiverse) and the different fictitious work I have read.  
>    
>  Therefore I am totally not good with any of the details. There might be some aberrations and I am sorry. I do with my own knowledge of this universe.  
>    
>  Also, I claim artistic rendering.  
>    
>  One last thing: English is not my first language; there might be mistakes or awkward writing. But I hope it won't be too bad. I'll try my best to review it and get rid of any mistake lingering...  
>    
>  **Edit:** I realize that I should have given an indication of what is canon in this world or not. So, it's 2018. The Spider-Man movie is taken into account. Civil War, too. But nothing else after that. Also, some characters won't be mentioned, I mainly kept the original Avengers team, with the added exception of Spider-Man. So that's like: Iron Man, Captain America, the Widow, Thor, Hulk, and Hawkeye + Spider-Man.  
>    
>  The Spider-Man of the Avengers is around 16 and the whole Avengers team keeps their own age. Only the Spider-Man we're following is around 32. So, that's the aged-up character.  
>    
>  Last but not least, there'll probably be a lot of micro-updates as I work my way through re-reading it and correcting aberrant errors.

*

“Okay.” Says James. “Are you ready?”  
  
I nod. I am more than ready. We spent the last five years building this- could we call that a time machine? Yes. I believe so. After all, it is its main purpose: to send us back in time. Is it really a good idea to test it on ourselves, you ask. Well… maybe not. But it’s supposed to be just a few days back in time. No big deal, right?  
  
“Well then, let’s do it,” continues James. “Here goes…,” he smashes the big red button we designed for this machine (because every machine needs a big red button labeled ‘’Danger! Do not press!’, it’s really not an exciting machine otherwise...) with more force than is strictly necessary and I wince. “...nothing.”  
  
The ground shakes. Rumbles. Thunders. I am instantly on high alert. Spider-senses picking up on the foretelling microscopic vibrations coursing through the atmosphere before they even hit us. But there is something else. Layered beneath the violent telluric waves, another current is running, its magnitude slowly overpowering the shaking of the ground. It works. It feels as if the time itself is flowing in the room. Flowing in my bones.  
  
“James!” I call. “James, can you feel that? I think it worked!”.  
  
I look at my friend. His eyes are opened wide and an excited, if a little bit crazed and afraid at the same time, smile forms on his lips. I think I’d have looked the same if I had been able to see myself. I see James open his mouth to say something. But the noise grows suddenly so loud that I can’t hear anything.  
  
“James!” I yell. “I can’t-” _I can’t hear you! _I wanted to say. But I don’t, mainly because, chances are if I couldn’t hear him, that he couldn’t either… and also because abruptly my lungs are devoid of air. I gasp. I try to inhale. Something is blocking my airways. My knees feel weak and give way beneath me.  
  
I'm on my knees. On hand supporting me on the floor, the other on my throat, scratching, as if it could help somehow. Physically, maybe not. I give you that. But, hey- mentally, it helps, trying to find purpose. I lift my head trying to locate James. He’s on a heap, on the floor. Out cold. I feel wave after wave crashing in my bones. It feels as if ants are coursing through my skin. Unpleasant. And when I said unpleasant, I mean it hurt like a mothe-.  
  
Black.__

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*

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I am cold. And I feel wet. Also, it hurts. Ouch. I open my eyes. Gone are the lab and the time machine. I am laying on the floor. Outside. It is raining (because of course!). I look around. No sign of James. Panic wells up in my stomach, graying the edge of my vision. I am on my feet in less than a second, vertigo ignored. Searching frantically around. I landed in a small, dark, dingy alleyway. Smelly, also. _Like seriously... Where am I?_ I even try the dumpster, which by the way, is the main source of the pestilence. But James… is nowhere to be found. I hope, that where he is, he is at least, fine.  
  
I take a minute or so, to collect myself before making my way out of the alleyway. Once again, my lungs find themselves struggling to oxygenate my organism. This time not because of the magnitude of the subatomic waves and the flow of time but because… people! There are people. Despite the rain. People are milling around, minding their own business. Then I look quizzically around. We didn’t build a spatiotemporal machine. We were supposed to go back in time and emerge in the same labs… just days prior. But behind me… that is no labs at all. Not even an esquisse of it.  
  
_Okay. Okay. Breathe._ There is no need to panic. Maybe just some miscalculation. Maybe… maybe I went back in time, but through some misunderstanding, it had also included some translocation data… Or something. Okay. First thing, then; I need to find the date and wherever the hell I am. To know how much I am screwed.  
  
“Well, then, let’s find today’s date, Mr. Parker...” I pick left and walk.  
  
If it’s still New York, a newspaper shouldn’t be that hard to find...  
  
The street I am walking through does not seem to be a really busy area. Still, even though it’s raining people are strolling, running, walking, passing me, unconcerned…  
  
It’s still New York, as far as I can tell. I think I can recognize a few streets here and there. But something feels off. It’s New York, but not quite New York...  
  
Like planned, it does not take me long to emerge at an intersection with its mandatory newspaper stand. My heartbeat picks up as I grow closer. But who am I kidding? I know what I’m going to find. I have eyes. I know to observe. I know how to gather clues and how to put two and two together. Wherever I am, I already know it’s not just some translocation error. As I walk and as the distance shrink, I, on the other hand, grow apprehensive. I breathe.  
  
“Okay, Peter, you’re a grown man, an adult… You fight villains… It’s not that hard to look at a freaking date.”  
  
I round up the stand to face it. I look down at the newspaper. I before I can even register the date, the headlines catch my attention and all my brain power.  
  
‘ _Spider-Man: Avengers’ new member!_ ’  
  
“Huh. O… kay.” That’s unexpected. Well, not quite actually. I had a half-formed theory swimming around in my head, but, to see it true was still a shock. Clearly, it’s not my New York – my world – at all. But well… I guess, something like that had always been in the realm of possibilities. The multiverse theory and _tutti quanti_.  
  
Then, who or what are the ‘Avengers’? Quickly scanning the article I get a few names: Iron Man, Captain America, Thor… _Wait, what? Really? What’s happening here?_ That’s crazy. Really crazy. Clearly, it’s not my New York – my world – at all.  
  
“Guys, all this time, have you been stealing all the fun?” I ask to no-one.  
  
As I stand there, trying to make sense of everything, the newspaper seller goes grumpy on me. “Hey, you wanna read it, you buy it! Otherwise, you go!”  
  
I startle.  
  
“Ah, yeah! Sorry, sorry! I’ll… huh… go.” I sneak a last glance, catching the date: _November 2018_. So the machine worked still. Too much. Way, way too much. Because that’s not some mere days in the past… It’s like sixteen? Seventeen? years back.  
  
Thinking back of the headlines, this particular world’s protected by some kind of Super-hero league. With its own Spider-Man. Oh, man… My head hurts trying to think of every possibility. Who am I going to be if I cannot be Spider-Man? I suddenly feel hollow. I don’t have any purpose being here.  
  
The major problem, _hic et nunc_ , is how the hell am I going to go home? All the people I know are either gone or some other version of themselves. Nobody even knows me. I don’t have anywhere to go.  
  
No place…  
  
No money…  
  
No clothes…  
  
Great. Just Great.  
  
At least I have my costume underneath my only set of clothes.

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Having nothing else to do, I did my homework. I gathered every bit of information I could on the Avengers and on my alter-ego of this universe. Apparently, there’s indeed a fucking super-hero league, mandated by the S.H.I.E.L.D. A gathering of forces that helped defend the Earth against attacks of big, bad aliens… More than once.  
  
Iron Man’s Tony Stark, a freakishly intelligent man, scientist, engineer, apparently owning one of the most famous technology company: Start Industries. That’s interesting. The technology this world has to offer is mind-blowing. The Ark-reactor… just, ugh, I’d kill to get my hand on it just for few seconds. But anyway…  
  
Captain America, Steve Roger. Super-soldat, seventy-year frozen in ice before being reanimated. Poor guy. Had to be quite a shock. Super-human strength and stuff. Good. Good.  
  
Thor. Who’s apparently really the god of thunder of the Nordic mythology. But just from Asgaard, another planet. Just that. Another. Fucking. Planet. My brain hurts. I mean sure. I knew (I know!) other life form had to exist somewhere in the universe… But seeing it… Wait, not seeing it, but having it confirmed by Thor, and Loki, I guess. The whole shtick with the Tesseract, that’s what it’s called. The invasion of the city by aliens. Hulk. Bruce Banner. Scientist. Normal guy. Gamma-rays resulting in him turning very green and very, very big when angered. Which, okay, not the weirdest thing happening here. I mean, I was bitten by a genetically engineered spider. I have nothing to shame him for. Not that I am. I just… and moving on!  
  
Black Widow. Natasha Romanoff. Russian Spy. Just plainly human, but so badass. I bet she could kick my ass anytime. And Hawkeye. Clinton Barton. Best archer known to man.  
  
And of course. Spider-Man. Whose identity is kept secret. Hence I couldn’t know if it’s really me or not. But if he is a Peter Parker, then he has to be young. _Was I ever that young?_ I guess so. But 2018, it means that I – or he? – should be around 16 or 17.  
  
Great.  
  
Cool.  
  
Definitively not needed in this universe.  
  
Everything’s in good hands.  
  
So many powerful people protecting this city. This world. This universe even? Who am I? Just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Not even the legit one on the side of the universe’s metaphorical curtain.  
Well then.  
  
What now?  
I guess I have to lay low. And just, do my own stuff on my own. Like: Finding a job. Which is going to be hard, you know, considering I have no identity. No credentials. I literally was no-one.  
  
That sucks.  
  
So, so much...  
  
Depressing.  


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I’m spiraling down depressing thoughts after depressing thoughts. Never seeing the end of it. So many things could go wrong. It feels as if the amount of work needed to be done just keeps growing, quickly approaching colossal load. It’s overwhelming. And I’m doubting my capacity to have anything done. I’m over my head, here.  
  
I walk aimlessly. Lost in my thoughts. When my Spider-sense tingles. _Uh-oh_. There’s trouble nearby. I have half thought of not answering my duties. I mean, if the city is so well protected, then, they can take care of it. I don’t care. The thought isn’t even half finished that I mentally slap myself. _Get. A. Fucking. Grip, Parker._ I know what happened the last time I neglected my duties… And even though I am not in my world, strictly speaking, I don’t want that to be happening again. Not. Ever. I swore, then, that I’d help everybody in the need. That’s what I’m going to do. That’s what I exist for.  
  
Answering to a long time ingrained instinct, I rush towards the source of trouble. I hear screaming. And fighting. I’m not in any of the upper quarters of the city, so it’s not unexpected. Oh, sweet euphemism...  
  
With a flick of my wrist, I shoot webs, reaching for the nearby building. Propelling myself in the air is as intrinsic to me as breathing. Relying on muscle memory. I feel weightless for one exhilarating second before landing on the roof, some distance from the ground. I shed my clothing. Finding a not too wet spot to put them. In less time than it needs to be said, I’m clad in my Spider-Man suit and jumping back off the roof. Free-falling’s one of my greatest pleasure. Rushing to the ground, another flick of my wrist, shooting another web, pulling at the last second, just brushing against the pavement before flying again even higher… I breathe a little bit better. And if I caper, well, I have the right, I am Spider-Man, and that feels better, safer, than anything that happened in the last five hours I landed in this universe.  
  
Duty calls back, though, as another scream echoes from a dark alley. As I approach, I can hear fighting. I perch myself on an electric line, to observe the scene. Seems like it was just a gang brawl. They are seven of them, looking menacing. Two of them are fighting, the others watch.  
  
Ah, there’s my civilian! The screaming one: on the skirts of the alley, seems like she’s taken hostage. Threatened by an eighth guy, knife in hand, to keep her in check.  
  
Ah. I seize the picture. Not two gangs, then, one. One of the guys fighting’s probably the boyfriend or something. Had trouble with bigger, meaner people. Tsss. Well. Easy.  
  
I drop silently to the ground, behind the fellow slightly in retreat with the girl. I strike the bad guy, with probably a little bit more strength than I intended to put in my blow. It’s hard to always keep my strength in check.  
“Oops. Sorry.”  
  
Well, in any case, he’ll just have a bigger lump on the head when he’ll wake up. He drops to the ground, completely out.  
  
The lady startles and screams. “Geez, lady, could you not!” The screaming grates my nerves. Annoyance swirls in my belly as that alerts the other guys, who round upon us.  
  
“Lady, you might want to get out of the way, now!” I warn. She bolts, just when the gang arrives at my level, confronting me.  
  
“And look who’s here!” leers the first. “Spider-Man!”  
  
“You honor us, with your presence. I thought you’d be too taken with your new little buddies, the Avengers!” sneers another one.  
  
“Aw, guys!” I reply, preparing myself to fight. “you should have told me you were in need of some attention, I’d have come sooner. I’d make an exception for the merry bunch of you, y’know!”  
  
I see movements, out of the corner of my eye, before the man at my right even throws his fist in my direction. I don’t even bother taking a step back. Just bend my back a little dodging way too easily... “Man! Is that all you’ve got? I’m sorry for you.” I comment.  
  
That seems to anger him, with a cry of rage he jumps on me.  
  
It appears to be the hint the others are waiting for because suddenly, they’re on me. I deflect a punch swung at my stomach and retaliate with a kick of my own. I aim for his midsection, too, I know a kick in the head, with my kind of strength, could kill. He flies backward, out of commission, at least for a while.  
  
The kick leaves my back open. I divert another blow and dodge a third, but the fourth gets me in the ribs. Too bad it’s so weak I’m not even phased.<  
  
“I mean, guys, come on! I going easy on you, there. You could show a little bit of enthusiasm in those punches of yours. Because, if that’s really all-”  
  
I can’t finish my sentence before I’m attacked again. I step back. Parry. Avoid. Deflect. It’s fun for a while, watching them winding themselves. Before I get bored... It’s quickly over. I knock them unconscious and that’s all. By that time, the lady and her probably-boyfriend are nowhere to be seen. Which, good, I guess.  
  
Searching the baddies I find a cell phone, called 911, that’s a relief; from one universe to the other doesn’t change. I leave a message to the local district police. Tie up the baddies in a pretty bouquet, then get out of there. I feel better after fighting - even though that wasn’t much of a sweat - and helping people.  
  
I don’t immediately go back to the rooftop where I left my clothes. Instead, I find myself swinging through the new New York streets. The layout of the city doesn’t seem to have changed quite so much from my universe to this world, the main streets seem to be the same, but buildings are different. Notably, the Stark Tower. I whistled when I see it for the first time. That’s some tower, alright?  
  
I finish patrolling the city and make my way back to the starting rooftop. It takes more time than I am comfortable to admit, to find the good one. I change back into my clothes, more like I take off my mask and I put on my civvies over my suit…  
  
Now I just have to figure out what the hell I’m going to do.  
  
Easy.

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Days pass.  
  
I’m nowhere nearer to find a way back home.  
  
I survive mostly sleeping outside. Running small jobs and getting paid next to nothing. When I can’t eat with what I earn the day I make my way to a local homeless help center. Not my proudest moment. But I make a few friends there. Recurrent faces. Kind people. Sad stories. That’s always how it is. They got screwed over by life and no-one cares. I grow particularly fond of a young man, probably twenty, didn’t want to give me his real age – didn’t give me his name either –, so smart, but kicked out by his parents. Now relegated to next to nothing. We hang out, doing the odd jobs together, sometimes. I know I shouldn’t get attached. But I can’t help it. He shows me some of the ropes. How to get by. I’m kind of grateful for him.  
  
From time to time, I debate with the idea of going straight to the Stark Tower. If the guy owns the biggest, most advanced technology-company of the world, it must have the answer to my questions and a way to go home, right? But still, I feel like if I got there, somehow, that’d fucked up things for real and there’d be no going back.  
  
I work, trying to earn enough to save in order to make myself some identity papers. Those I have with me could pass for real, but if I have no choice but stay here for a while, I think it’d be better to blend in seamlessly. Still deal with local small fries at night, on patrols. Help people. Help old ladies getting their cat out of trees. Repair plumbing for free meals. Live day to day. Kind of liberating. In some ways. Once I start getting too much recognition, I change quarters. I presume getting too much attention would draw understandably unwanted attention.  
  
That’s fine for a while.  
  
Still consider going to the Tower. I almost have once. But then deflated. Too scared to fuck up some universal laws I don’t know about.

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My Spider-Man suit’s beginning to get really dirty. I’ll have to get to some washing machine. Living in the street, yes. But I still have some pride, especially concerning my Spider-Man alter-ego. Having a filthy and smelly costume is where I’m drawing the line.  
  
I was musing those thoughts when my spider-sense tingles: your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is needed, once again.  
  
For a city with so well protected, petty crimes are still surprisingly high.  
  
Endorsing my costume, leaving my citizen clothes behind, I swing my way to the source of brewing agitation. I draw near a well-populated crossroads. Seems like it’s bigger trouble this time. Perched atop a towering building, I observe quietly. My spider-sense is tingling yet nothing’s happening, that I could see. I don’t have to wait long, though. Yells of fear and mass movement caused by panic, people fleeing, panicked.  
  
frown. _What’s happening?_  
  
Then I hear the clamor of smashing stones and shattering glass. The loud rumble of a building being purposely demolished. Something big, indeed.  
  
Shit.  
  
Gliding past, a flying red and gold projectile with a fire trail. Oh! Wait, no! So, that’s Iron Man! He flies past. Behind him, appears a monstrously gigantic beast. Growling so loud, the Earth shakes. It’s truly humongous. A massive head with its unequivocally giant muzzle full of sharp teeth, its jaws are covered with slobber-matted coarse hair all the way down to its throat and chest. Four-legged. Though its two anterior legs seem to have a prehensile capability as it seizes a car, crushing it in a three-fingered fist before howling it at Iron Man who doesn’t even try to dodge. He takes the projectile, full blast.  
  
I almost shout for him to dodge.  
  
Wait, no, he didn’t take it. He stopped it from crashing into the building behind him, probably full of civilians. This is my first time seeing him in action. I can tell you, I’m so fucking impressed right now.  
  
He lowers the crushed car to the ground before zooming out of the way as the mammoth-like monster tries to catch him. I’m amazed, I watch with bated breath Iron Man striking blows after blows to this colossal creature, making it step back, even as the man himself is so tiny it seems impossible.  
  
Iron Man’s just uncatchable. Graciously flying past every attempt of the gargantuan alien.  
  
Until he isn’t; the beast strikes faster this time than he had before, catching Iron Man off guard. It catches the flying suit, crushing it in its grasps and the metal cries so loudly, that can’t bode anything good for the frail man inside.  
  
I almost intervene then, but mere milliseconds later, the giant relinquishes its hold on Iron Man with a cry of frustration. Iron Man flies out of the way, unharmed, as far as I can see... His armor took the brunt of it but hasn’t sustained permanent damage: not a single warped plate. Though, as I keep watching, the way Iron Man now moves through the sky feels awkward...  
  
It becomes obvious in the way he doesn’t try to stop any more of the projectiles sent his way, just dodges them. Somehow, his armor has to have taken damage, maybe some of its systems have been damaged, though not outwardly visible.  
  
The problem is, people are still evacuating the area.  
  
Then I saw it happen: the beast taking hold of the rubble he made destroying one side of a building. It throwing it in the general direction of Iron Man, still trying to knock him down. Iron Man seeing it, dodging it, but the woman running in the street down below doesn’t.  
  
Before the rubble is even thrown, I’m on the move.  
  
I jump down my rooftop, rushing faster still, to the ground. Why did I have to choose a building so tall? I almost think I won’t make it. Won’t be able to save the woman. But, at the last seconds, she’s in range, a flick of my right wrist in her direction, sending webs to catch her while I shoot another highly resistant filament to a nearby solid surface. I jerk the woman forward with enough force she comes flying to me. I grip her. “Hold on tight!” I yell to make myself heard past the howling of the wind and the thunder of the rubble crashing on the street just where the woman was a second ago.  
  
I swing us one-handedly to safety, way out fighting range. I let the woman down, she’s shaking so badly, she doesn’t let go of me, right away, clutching me for safety. “It’s okay!” I say, trying to reassure her. “You can let go of me! You have to take yourself to safety, ma’am. Can you do that, for me?” Gently, I pry the hands off of my shoulders. She nods. “Okay, good. Now, go! I have to go back!”  
  
I stay a few seconds watching her move away on unsteady legs. She turns to me as I shoot another string of web. “Thank you, Spider-Man!”  
  
I nod and salute just as I take off.  
  
I quickly make my way back to the scene of the fight.  
  
The situation hasn’t evolved much. Iron Man’s still avoiding the monster. He doesn’t try to get near it anymore to fight him. Seems like he’s waiting for backup. He just keeps the giant alien occupied so that it’d minimize the damages to the city in one zone and avoid bystanders getting involved too much, risking injury, or worst.  
  
Seems like the best-laid plan, in fact.  
  
Still I itch to get in there, give a hand. Getting rid of the problem quickly before it gets out of hand.  
  
My return doesn’t go as unnoticed as I expect. I’m back to rooftops when Iron Man comes flying nearby.  
  
“Spiderling! What are you doing here? I thought you were in class!” He hails me.  
  
“I.. huh... I-” I don’t know what to answer. Shit. I haven’t planned that happening. Maybe even ever.  
  
“You’re not wearing your new suit? You fixed your problem with the web shooter? Wait… Are you Spider-Man?” His tone went from inquisitive to dubious to wary.  
  
“I am!” I feel insulted. Even though he has every reason to doubt me. “I am Spider-Man!” I insist.  
  
He stays silent, watching me, observing, judging.  
  
Before he can say anything more, our current situation kindly reminds itself to us...  
  
By destroying half of the building nearby...  
  
We watch speechless the construction crumble to its ruins. We didn’t hear it get closer, yet, it’s just the equivalent of a mammoth-like-alien-step apart from us.  
  
Already Iron Man is moving zooming away, I can hear him asking for help through what I believe is his comm. I, for my part, shoot webs and get the hell out of the way.  
  
We didn’t hear it get closer. _How could we not hear it?_ The thing has to at least weigh ten tons. It’s ridiculously dwarfing the giant avenues of New-York. Like a child playing in a miniature city, trampling down constructions, carelessly.  
  
Then I understand.  
  
As I get farther away, I see it blinks out of existence before reappearing just a hairbreadth of me. I swerve violently on the right, avoiding collision. It seems to be focused on Iron Man because it hasn’t a care in the world that I am swinging just centimeters of him. It continues its course, walking almost lazily through the city, following Iron Man. Teleporting when the man gets too far away. “Man, that’s cheating!” I huff under my breath. I follow the mammoth following Iron Man through the city. Well more like, Iron Man is going circle in a delimited area. Smartly avoiding further destruction and chaos. Containing the menace.  
  
An idea crosses my head. Well, I have been discovered, I have nothing else to fear, now. So, instead of following from a safe distance, I get nearer. So much, in fact, that I shoot webs, finding purchase on the massive body of the alien. With a powerful traction, I land on its back. It doesn’t care, at all. I have to hang on to my web filaments, latched on the body itself, in order not to be destabilized. I make my way slowly to its head, shooting silk thread after silk thread to stay balanced. I reach my destination just for the beast to vanish out of existence once again.  
  
Everything’s black. I can’t see anything, can’t hear anything nor feel anything. I can’t breathe and I can’t move. Before I even start panicking we’re back in the city. “Boy, oh, boy!” I gasp. “Don’t ever do that again!” After taking a second to get my thoughts straight; I was on the head for a reason! I take a step back… not enough distance; not enough run-up. I take another one, before running and jumping as far as I can before the head of the beast. In the air, I twist and find myself just where I wanted; face to face with the mammoth-like alien. Aiming my spinnerets at its eyes I fire, blinding it. Then I’m free falling once again. I catch myself on a nearby building, where I latch on the wall, dangling from one hand, from my silk string.  
  
The beast has screeched to a full stop. It has begun trashing around, smashing its side into the only homes left to stand. Ah! Not anymore…  
  
I relinquish once again my perch to soar up in the air. This time I aim for the legs. I shoot strings from one side of the street crossing to the other, trying to make the alien trip over the net I am constructing.  
  
It would have worked, I am sure of it, was it not for the (un)fortunate intervention of a really, really muscly green humanoid. The Hulk. He throws himself on one of the alien legs, tackling it head-on. With great straining, and a little bit of air-time jaunt, when the beast hasn’t wanted to let itself be manhandled, Hulk achieves the inhuman feat to lift one of the alien’s leg, therefore causing it to stumble and fall to the ground, in a cacophony of defining angry roars – from the beast or from Hulk I cannot quite distinguish… – and thrashing of metal, rumble and whatever was on the way of the falling titan.  
  
Then comes explosions. Not sure from where. Nothing actually explode, or anything. It’s just a detonation sound and the alien’s hidden by a sort of smoke screen.  
  
But then, the beast is definitely immobilized. Struggling helplessly against the technologically enhanced – I’m really not sure what those are – bonds tying it to the ground. It looks like a net of light tightly shackling the creature to the earth.  
  
I am almost sad, hearing to howl, hurt and frustrated. I am quite some distance away, watching everything happen from the sidelines. An army of really tiny people comes rushing seemingly from nowhere busying themselves with the alien. But before they could even do anything, it is vanishing once again. It doesn’t reappear anywhere.  
  
When all the debris stopped falling, the scene is left eerily silent.  
  
Everyone seems quite a little bit dumbfounded, though I can’t be sure, from where I am, even though enhanced vision is a thing, I can’t discern their faces.  
  
I just realized then that I should probably make my way out before someone else notices me... That's when the unmistakable sound of thrusters make itself heard behind me.  
  
I know who it is. “Can’t we just forget that we met today?” I try even as I turn to face him.  
  
His mask is off, I can see his face. I can see his searching eyes. He is fine. (I mean… I didn’t mean fine-fine… Well, not that he’s not, because, yeah, oh boy, he is! But fine in a not-hurt way, okay? And just wow, shut up brain.) If a little be sweaty. His face doesn’t show any more emotion than his Iron Man mask did.  
  
He stays silent a few more seconds, which have me sweating and anxious in turn.  
  
“Who’re you?”

__

__

__


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter.  
>    
>  I still have no idea where I'm truly going with this story, just so you know. It may end to be very disappointing for everyone, myself included, but I just really wanted to write something... I just really like Spider-Man, especially the first trilogy with Toby Maguire; it was my childhood. Though, I tried to give the Spider-Men/Peters Tom Holland's depiction of the character... Anyway...

*

“Who’re you?”  
  
I can feel my heart hammering inside my ribcage. My whole frame is shaking minutely with the force of its pumping. What should I say? I open my mouth, then close it. I sigh. “I’m Spider-Man” I repeat, stubbornly.  
  
His eyes darkened at my answer. “Well...” he drawls, “ _Spider-Man_ ,” He says it almost as an insult. I don’t let myself be phased, or at least I force myself not to show it. “I think you’re going to have a little be of explaining to do to the S.H.I.E.L.D.”  
  
At his tone, I gather it’s a menace. I should be afraid. Alas, I’m not quite sure what’s supposed to be the S.H.I.E.L.D. Least of all, why I should be afraid or whatever he wants me to feel, mentioning this name.  
  
“No, I don’t think so!” I say defiantly.  
  
The follow up of my plan was to turn heels and vanish out of sight, quite like the alien did minutes ago. Except, the words have just the time to leave my mouth before I’m attacked from behind. A sharp pain blooms in my shoulder. I barely refrain from crying out. Instead, I let out a whine of pain, a little bit too high pitched for my own sake of manliness. Look over my should I see a syringe, a dart, buried deep in my flesh. The noise I then make is a mix of shock and incredulity.  
  
“Is that even allowed?” I croak.  
  
Already sluggish, I jerk a hand in an attempt to dislodge it. My aim is off, but by the second try, I am capable of closing my fist around the thing and jerk it out of my shoulder without any care. But not without pain and the needle grates against muscle and nerves, I whine again.  
  
Seconds later, my vision swims out of focus. I can’t concentrate enough to try deciphering what they would have injected me. My head’s filling up with cotton and I hear as if underwater. My muscles shake, I try to keep my grip on the windowsill, I’d prefer not to fall to a horrible death, smashed against the pavement floors below.  
  
I gasp: “I hope it’s not poison!” I was trying for sassy, instead, I feel it came out way too much worried, which is quite close to what I’m feeling right now, but still.  
  
Iron Man still hasn’t moved. He’s watching me struggle to stay awake and keep my purchase on the surface of the building. My vision’s getting dangerously dark. Unconsciousness finally claims me, I feel my muscles loosen and my hold fails, I fall forward.  
  
“-Ok long enou-..” I half hear and then nothing.

*

I wake with a jerk that’s half aborted as restraints hold me back. I look down. I’m tied up to a bed. _Really?_ I feel nauseous and my head hurts. My vision grays out before focusing again. It’s a hospital bed. I’m still wearing my suits but I feel my mask’s off. Of course. Wouldn’t have bet otherwise.  
  
The room around is white. Basic bordering on sparse. On my left, the wall holds a window and on my right, it’s full glass panel with an automatic door. At least, if it’s a cell, they’re hiding it well.  
  
Of course, I could break free of the cuffs. Easily. But, I won’t. I’m curious to see what they want. Now that’s the cat is out of the bag.  
  
I don’t feel any different, I mean, whilst it is a good fantasy, would the universe really give me the head up if I fucked up something? I mean, sure, that should be some sort of prerogative right, I do have some sort of metaphorical link to my own universe, I think. So if that link is closed, destroyed, I should feel it, shouldn’t I? Am I just making things up? Probably... But at the same time, well, not a lot of people have found themselves in another dimension... At least I hope so... Can’t really ask, can I?  
  
I still feel desperate to get back home and despairing to find a solution. I don’t want to think too much about it right now.  
  
Everything hurts even though I don’t remember getting hurt once. Except with the sedating dart. I don’t even know what time it is. If the stuff knocked me out minutes, hours or days.  
  
Lucky for me, it seems my questions will maybe get answers quickly for there’s movement on the other side of the glass panel.  
  
Iron Man without his armor suit, I guess that’s Tony Stark, then. A stern looking man wearing an eye-patch at his side. Behind him are other people. I think I recognize Captain America, though, without the costume, I’m not sure. There’s also a gorgeous looking red-haired woman. Gorgeous but looking deadly. Completing the four people crew is a young looking boy that I know way too well. I fear the worst. Anxiety gets hold of my inside with an iron fist. I’m suddenly tense and my heart skips a beat before skyrocketing.  
  
They’re all chatting between them. Unfortunately, the isolation is good; I only hear muffled voices. Indistinguishable. They stand before the glass-wall, seemingly arguing. From times to times throwing confused, stern, emotionless or curious glances at me.  
  
This menagerie actually keeps on going for some time. I’m beginning to feel restless. Frustrated. I feel like the new attraction in a zoo. That’s highly unpleasant. _Just get on with it, Jesus!_ I almost shout. But I have manners. And manners matter. I affect a nonchalant act. I watch them not hiding my own interest.  
  
I observe the way they interact with each other. There seem to be two camps. Spid-... - I don’t want to cross that territory, not yet. Not mentally ready to face that, though, it doesn’t seem I will have much of a choice - the boy and the dangerous lady stand together, I think. I am not quite ready to acknowledge who he is. Though, he hasn’t the same scruples if the gesturing and the glances he sneaks in my direction are to go by. The woman has a hand on his shoulder, showing support and interjecting from time to time.  
  
The tall, muscled, quite handsome blond man, Steve Roger, if I am not mistaken, shows a little more reserve towards me. He seems to stand ground with the other tall, stern-looking eye-patch man. They don’t act as close together as the boy and the woman. There’s some degree of intimacy between all of them except for the eye-patch who’s standing in retreat.  
  
Tony Stark is presiding them all, I am not quite sure what to make of his body language. He doesn’t seem to have taken a specific party. If I had to guess, I’d say neutral... Which surprises me, knowing the way he interacted with me in the streets. He rebounds from side to side, following the different points made.  
  
The boy’s expression is suddenly sullen. He huffs a breath. And finally, he moves towards the door of my room. He still assisted by the woman, who follows him a beat later.  
  
Judging from the faces, he’s disobeying.  
  
He opens the door and reproached tones filtrate through but they shut up quickly enough that I can’t catch what they were saying.  
  
His face is open and curious as he steps into the room. A tentative smile graces his lips. _So candid, Geez, kid, show some reserve!_  
  
“Hey!” He makes is way towards the foot of my bed. The woman has followed him in the room and the door is slowly closing behind them. She doesn’t get that close from the bed though. Her face is showing more caution than her protege.  
  
“So you’re Spider-Man, ayy?” He asks and doesn’t wait for an answer. “That’s pretty cool!” His face lights up and his tone is genuine.  
  
I can’t help but let out a breath of laughter. A smile’s tugging at my lips. He hasn’t said more than three sentences to me, but I’m already relaxing in his presence. I’m willing my face to remain impassible.  
  
I arched an eyebrow, “Yeah?” I huff. “So I hear”.  
  
He smiles. He claps his hands in front of him in an aloof way. “So, how do you feel?”  
  
“I feel shit.” I answer truthfully. “What the hell did you give me?”  
  
“Oh, just an enhanced tranquilizer for, you know...” he gestures at me, “enhanced metabolism. I have to agree with you, I’ve been dosed with one of those before, the waking up part leaves room for improvement...”  
  
I grunt an assent. He’s looking at me. He stops fidgeting and gets serious: “So, what’s your name?”  
  
I stare at him, debating with myself if should just admit everything. Though, before I open my mouth to add anything, he has already carried on.  
  
“Oh, I know, we should have introduced ourselves first…” He smiles again, with a wink he adds: “Hi, my name’s Peter Parker.”  
  
I knew it. Objectively, I knew. There’s no way I wouldn’t have been to ignore it, after all, the kid’s got my face. But still… It feels like a hammer slammed in my chest and I feel dazed.  
  
His eyes are trained upon my face, probably watching for micro-expressions. He must have got more than he needed to get what he wanted out of me, but he goes on, smiling and open. He points at the woman in the room with us. Her eyes haven’t once left me.  
  
“This is Natasha. She’s nice.” That makes her smiles.  
  
Peter points out of the room. “The grumpy men out there are Nick Fury, the director of the S.H.I.E.L.D., Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. You probably know them already, don’t you?”  
  
_Mostly_. I don’t say that out loud. He turns back to me.  
  
“So, now, what’s your name?” His eyes are intent on my face.  
  
I sigh. I straighten up in the bed. “Don’t you already know?”  
  
“Yes... but, y’know, confirmation’s good...” he shrugs one shoulder.  
  
“Hi,” I begin with a small smile, “my name’s Peter Parker…,” I pause for dramatic effect, “I totally would’ve shaken your hand, but...” I look a the leather cuffs keeping my arms on the bed. “I wouldn’t want to ruin equipment.” It’s my turn to wink.  
  
He laughs. “Yeah, I get it.” There’s a blank, he shifts nervously. “So… huh… What- Are you… like, an evil clone? Or something? Because, I mean, it’s fun and stuff, but kinda freaky... I mean, I don’t mean that you are! It’s super cool! It really is! But, huh...” there’s real panic and flailing as he tries not to insult me.  
  
I laugh. “No, not evil clone. Nor am I an experiment gone wrong… Well, at least not a human experiment… although… could be… I’m just from elsewhere...”  
  
That picks his curiosity. He hums. “Where you from, then? You’re from the future, aren’t you? You’re me, from the future, is this it?” He gets around the foot of the bed and comes closer. He’s studying me. Apparently, he was told to keep his distance because Natasha, in her corner emits a warning in the form of his name… our name.  
  
She realizes that when I glance at her and our eyes meet. There’s still caution in her gaze but she’s not overtly aggressive.  
  
Peter, though, pretends not to hear.  
  
“You can’t really be from the future though, right? Unless I underwent… will undergo plastic surgery… Will I?”  
  
I shake my head, "No, God, no!"  
  
“Oh, good!"  
  
Blank... Then, "Your eyes are green... Weird… And you’re blond!”.  
  
I frown, “Am not!” I reply indignantly. It’s more light brown than blond, I swear.  
  
He smiles cheekily, “Yes, you are. You soooo are!”  
  
“Am _sooo_ not, kid! Respect your elders!” I can’t help but be dragged into this foolishness. He makes it so easy. Even though we’re not exactly the same person, I guess some character traits sticks.  
  
That’s when the adults get involved. Stark’s the first person to enter the room, followed by Rogers and Fury.  
  
“Enough of that inane chit-chat! Let’s discuss serious business!”  
  
Suddenly the room feels way colder than it had seconds before. Peter tenses next to me and takes a few steps back.  
  
“State your name, rank, and intention.” Stark announces most naturally.  
  
“I, um…” There’s something that could pass for mirth swirling in his dark eyes., but his face and tone betray nothing.  
  
“Who are you? Where are you from? Why are you here and what do you want?” Fury doesn’t embarrass himself acknowledging Stark’s inquiry.  
  
“Okay, okay, buddies. That’s all nice, and stuff, but can I get uncuffed before I have to answer your questions?” I try. “I can do it by myself, just so you know, but you won’t like it.”  
  
They’re all watching Fury. Waiting for his consent. He’s the leader in this room. He finally gives the tiniest of nods and Peter’s the closest and first to move. He quickly gets rid of the first restraint. Once I have a free hand I work myself on the second cuff.  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
Now they’re waiting for me to answer their questions. They’re all watching me. Peter stays by the bedside. This feels like moral support. I don’t know if he intended it this way, but I’m glad. I mean, we’re sharing a link here, aren’t we? We’re practically the same person. Apart from a few differences… I wonder how much we really differ. What’s his life, surely we can’t have had the same exact lives. I mean, if we’re talking about multiverse here, then surely somewhere, someone made a choice that diverted our universes. And maybe there’s a few of them like that. Who knows how much universes really separate us, how much choices were differently made?  
  
Nick Fury clears his throat loudly, I realize that I have been staring into space for a few seconds.  
  
“Well, as I said; my name _is_ Peter Parker. I am Spider-Man. I am from Queens, in New York. Born in 1996.” At that, I get a few quizzical looks. Stark’s got that eyebrow lifted. “I know I probably don’t look like it.” I run a hand down my face. I feel stubble there. Ah, yes, I haven’t shaved for a while… I scratch at my chin. “I’m from 2028, I’m almost 32 if you must know.” I shrug. “I have been working on some secret project, testing went haywire, and here I am.” I watch them in turn. “Now, all I want is going home. I don’t want to cause you guys, any trouble, I promise. If you leave me in my corner, I’ll figure it out, and leave you alone. I swear…” I trail off.  
  
Fury’s got the judging look. He doesn’t seem to be trusting me. Doesn’t think I’m saying the truth.  
  
“You’ve been working on some secret project, huh? That seems untrustworthy…” I open my mouth to argue it’s the truth. “Let’s say, I believe you,” he adds before I can speak, “Are you really talking about some sort of another dimension?”  
  
“Well… I… yes?”  
  
“And you expect us to believe you?”  
  
“I don’t know!” I snap back, all that condescension’s grating on my already frayed nerves… After all that’s been happening to me, I have to justify myself to those people I don’t even know? I know deep down, that he’s right to question me, I mean, I wouldn’t really trust me out of the bat, if I were to hear myself talk either. But I’m tired, I still feel shitty and all this judgment feels irritating.  
  
“I mean: aliens, maybe? Does that ring a bell? Like there’s literally mutants every corner of this city. You have a Norse God in your midst with superpowers, and you can’t just believe there might be some sort of parallel universes somewhere else?” My tone may have been on the edge of hysteria.  
  
The room is silent for too long, I almost thought I had angered him. I sigh. “Look, I just want to go home! That’s all I ask for...” I would have pleaded if I had the sentiment he was a guy that’d yield.  
  
“You have not yet given any harmful inclination, for that you’ll be confined under the supervision of Tony Stark and by extension, all the Avengers, you’ll answer to them, conform to any of their commands. You won’t be allowed to leave this facility without surveillance. Daily report will be written for me to read. All your comings and goings will be monitored until I have decided you are to be trusted. If I hear you deliberately or unintentionally disobey any orders given to you, you’ll be put in a cell in the S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ, a place of choice, I’d say, but I’m sure it won’t feel exactly the same to you.” He delivers his speech with the precise inflection of a military commander. His face not even once reveals any sentiment he might have.  
  
He looks down on me. Then nods to the members of the Avengers present in the room and takes his leave.  
  
He leaves the room silent and me dumbfounded. Just like that… I’m essentially under house arrest, but it’s not too bad, all things considered.  
  
Everyone’s looking at everyone but no one dares speak.  
  
Now that judgement has been given and acknowledged, Peter claps his hands and is back to what I am beginning discern is his usual happy-go-lucky attitude.  
  
“What now?” 


End file.
